HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - As Dimension Films readies its horror spoof ``Scary Movie'' for a New York premiere June 21, the company has discovered it achieved a new box office frightpic record with ``Scream 3. `` Miramax's genre banner has grossed $293,500,436 for the three ``Scream'' franchise pics. This gives Dimension the heady, if not dubious, award for highest-grossing horror franchise series.
The three ``Scream'' pictures grossed $103 million, $101 million and $89 million, respectively. The totals put it light years in front of ``Nightmare on Elm Street,'' which grossed $225 million for seven films. Following ``Nightmare'' were ``Friday the 13th'' at $222 million for nine films, ``The Exorcist'' at $221 million for three films and ``Halloween'' at $185million for six films. ``It's especially rewarding to know that this series has gone out on top,'' said Bob Weinstein, co-chairmanof Miramax Films. Of course, numbers for ``Exorcist'' are unadjusted for inflation: the film earned most of its $221 million back in 1973 (and 1977 for the first sequel).
``Scary Movie,'' meanwhile, looks poised to make a small dent in the frightpic comedy box office. The film, which is directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, is tracking like a sleeper hit for Dimension.